Meat Animal Cash Receipts Jumped Sharply in 2025

Total cash receipts from marketings of cattle, calves, hogs, and pigs climbed by 18% in 2025 to $165 billion.

SELECTS_FARMHER_ 19_12_19_USA_ALL_VARIOUS_0342.jpg

FarmHER, Inc.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — U.S. meat animal producers saw a sharp rise in cash receipts during 2025 as stronger livestock values pushed income higher. USDA said total cash receipts from marketings of cattle, calves, hogs, and pigs climbed 18 percent to $165 billion.

Cattle and calves drove most of that gain. Cash receipts from cattle and calf marketings rose 19 percent from $112 billion in 2024 to $134 billion in 2025. Even so, total cattle and calf marketings were 59.6 billion pounds, down slightly from the previous year.

Hogs and pigs also posted a stronger income year. Cash receipts totaled $30.9 billion, up 13 percent from 2024, while marketings reached 43.9 billion pounds, 2 percent above the prior year.

USDA said total production of cattle, calves, hogs, and pigs reached 87.6 billion pounds in 2025, up 1 percent from 2024. Production increased slightly for cattle and calves and rose 2 percent for hogs and pigs.

Gross income from meat animals totaled $166 billion in 2025, also up 18 percent. Cattle and calves accounted for 81 percent of total cash receipts, while hogs and pigs made up 19 percent.

Farm-Level Takeaway: Stronger livestock values lifted 2025 receipts and income even though cattle marketings were slightly lower.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
Related Stories
Pennsylvania Farm Show scholarship recipient Elizabeth Dice discusses her award, her background in farming, and her path forward in the agriculture industry.
Nearly everyone in the South Texas ag community appears extremely worried about the potential of a New World screwworm epidemic, according to a local veterinarian. RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey reports.
Rural population growth and stabilizing economic indicators point to post-pandemic recovery, but uneven income, shifting industries, and regional divides remain key challenges for rural communities.
Large-scale land purchases signal rising competition for ranchland, reinforcing its value while reshaping long-term access and control in rural agriculture.
While row crops are expected to see softer impacts, analysts say severe weather of this magnitude will not be as kind to cattle producers.
Dairy farmer and Discover Ag co-host Tara Vander Dussen joined us to discuss the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, her experience at the signing, and what’s next for her family and farm.

Tony St. James joined the RFD-TV talent team in August 2024, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 Sirius XM. In addition to his role as Market Specialist (collaborating with Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady to provide radio and TV audiences with the latest updates on ag commodity markets), he hosts “Rural America Live” and serves as talent for trade shows.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Tight cattle supplies continue to drive lower beef output despite heavier weights.
Weaker U.S. dairy prices come as value-added exports expand and ingredient inventories tighten, creating mixed market signals for producers.
WTO gauges point to agricultural raw materials trade growing more slowly than overall goods, reinforcing the need to manage export risk and monitor policy shifts closely.
Improved export prospects and higher crop prices strengthened future expectations despite continued caution about spending.
China’s renewed purchases signal improving sorghum demand at a time when export markets are otherwise uneven. Meanwhile, agriculture groups across the U.S, Canada, and Mexico want to protect close trade relations.
The Environmental Protection Agency confirms that new single-fluorinated pesticides are not PFAS and remain fully compliant with current safety standards.